While some extreme environmentalists prefer to leave certain regions undeveloped, EIDA seeks to find development solutions that, through environmentally friendly techonology, can mean trade and increased social welfare for all citizens of the world.
When helping other nations or NGOs, EIDA has the important goal of
To carry out this mission, EIDA works closely with all sectors of the community, including academic institutions and logistics coordinators.
EIDA encourages various events around the world, including sustainability circles. Sustainablity circles are events that try to get people in general to talk about the environment and sustainability. Small tables accommodating four or five people are covered with large sheets of paper and checkered tablecloths. Tables are decorated with flowers and candles and marking pens are available on each table.
Participants are welcomed by signs at the entry and music. The host greets participants and invites them to find a seat at one of the tables. The host poses the question for discussion and explains that participants will move from table to table two or three times. Participants are encouraged to record ideas, insights and questions that emerge by writing or drawing on the paper tablecloth.
After approximately ten minutes the host asks that participants at each table decide who will be the host for that table. That person remains at the table for the next session(s) and the others get up and move to new tables. After everyone is seated, the host of the table welcomes the new participants, brings them up to date on key ideas and questions that emerged from the first discussion. Participants then continue to discuss the question with their new group.
To conclude the café, the host asks everyone to return to their home table to compare notes,
ideas and questions that surfaced during the session. The ideas from each café will be summarized and posted on a website.
Social change often - if not always - begins with conversations. Looking at what might happen, what needs to be addressed, feeling connected to the issues and to each other is an integral part of change. We hope that Sustainability Circles will provide this experience.
As another example of EIDA's work, we recently partnered up with an NGO in Ecuador that advocates for environmental issues. EIDA experts helped to define the following in a project dealing with biophysical systems:
*Planning has gone ahead without a comprehensive biophysical study of wildlife, hydrology, ecology, etc.
*We need to recognize our dependence on our physical systems which are the basis of life on earth *How will we define the carrying capacity of the land?
*Biodiversity must be maintained
*What is the optimal size of a sustainable community in micronationalism?
*Watershed planning - take a step back - think about erosion
*Include food production - nut trees/produce
*Aesthetics - rethink concepts of attractive housing/websites
*Water use - examine re-use on site
*Abandon use of herbicides and pesticides in many regions
